USA > Ohio > Richland County > History of Richland County, Ohio, from 1808 to 1908, Vol. II > Part 30
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J. B. BALLIET.
J. B. Balliet was born upon the farm and in the same house which he now occupies, his natal day being March 9, 1842. This is the old homestead farm of Steven Balliet and his wife, who bore the maiden name of Catharine Hafer- man. The parents were both natives of Carbon county, Pennsylvania, and were born in the year 1813. They became residents of Richland county, Ohio, during the pioneer epoch in its history, settling here in 1837. Their children were three in number: George W., a resident of Mansfield; J. B., whose name introduces this review; and Joseph L., also of Mansfield. When Steven Balliet arrived in Richland county more than seven decades ago he purchased the farm which is now the home of his son, J. B. Balliet, and with characteristic energy began its cultivation and improvement, making his home thereon until his death and becoming recognized as one of the substantial and respected agriculturists of the community.
As boy and youth J. B. Balliet worked upon the home farm, giving his father the benefit of his services until he was twenty-one years of age. He then started out in life on his own account and made investment in a farm of ninety-two acres in Wyandot county, Ohio. Taking up his abode upon
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that property he lived there for seven years, after which he sold out and removed to Nevada, where he was engaged in the hardware business for ten years. On the expiration of that period he sold his store and turned his attention to the livery business, which he also conducted in the same town in Nevada for a period of twelve years. On disposing of his livery barn he returned to Richland county and took up his abode upon the farm which he now owns and occupies, comprising eighty-five acres of productive land on section 23, Madison township. The soil is naturally rich and productive and returns golden harvests to him in reward for the care and labor he bestows upon the fields.
In 1863 Mr. Balliet was married to Miss Ellen Schultz, a native of Rich- land county and one of a family of eight children. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Balliet were born two daughters and a son, as follows: Emma, the wife of Abe Balliet, of Richland county; and Calvin and Margaret, both of whom are deceased. The wife and mother passed away in 1870, and in 1872 Mr. Balliet again married, his second union being with Miss Mary J. Moran, a daughter of John and Catharine (Oaks) Moran, who were natives of Ireland and came to America at an early day. Her father died in 1862 and her mother passed away in 1890. They were the parents of six children. By the second mar- riage of Mr. Balliet there were born three children but two of the number died in infancy, the surviving daughter being Catharine, the wife of A. L. Lober, of Cleveland, Ohio.
Mr. Balliet votes with the democratic party but has never sought nor desired office, preferring to concentrate his chergies upon his business affairs. Throughout his entire life he has been a man of industry and enterprise, care- fully conducting his business interests, and the success he has achieved is attributable entirely to his own labors and careful management.
ERSKINE CHAMBERS.
Erskine Chambers resides on one of the fine farms of Richland county known as Idealyld and lives in the old brick house which was built in 1832 by his grandfather, John Chambers. Its well kept appearance, however, gives little indication that it has passed the three-quarter of a century mark in its existence. John Chambers, the grandfather, and his brother, Andrew Cham- bers, came to Richland county in the beginning of the century and the former entered land in Springfield township. The brothers built a cabin on the land and cleared some of the place, spending the greater part of the summer here, but returned for the winter to their former home in Washington county, Pennsylvania. The next spring John Chamberes with his family, then con- stituting his wife, Sarah, and two children, came to make their home in the little cabin in Springfield township. When he took possession there was a camp of Indians on the place and they remained for four years or more but were always friendly and peaceable. The family, however, endured many of the hardships, trials and privations incident to pioneer life. The nearest
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flour mill was at Zanesville, Ohio, about one hundred miles away, and the methods of travel at that time rendered it a very arduous task to reach the mill. To do so John Chambers would take one sack of grain on the horse which he rode and two sacks on the horse which he would lead or that fol- lowed him and thus go to mill. The country was thickly wooded and fre- quently there was no wagon road, so that he had to follow a trail, and there were no bridges, so that he had to ford the streams. This was occasionally a hard thing to do when the streams were out of the channel and flood high. When he would get to Zanesville he would have to wait his turn to have his grist ground. On the way the horses were liable to rub the sacks off against the trees, yet in time the animals became so accustomed to carry a load of this kind on their backs that they would with great dexterity swing around the trees with their load undisturbed. While John Chambers was away to mill his wife remained at home with their several small children, nor was her life free from the hardships and privations. There was an Indian camp not more than seventy rods from her cabin. She also had to care for the stock and had to carry the water from the spring about forty rods away. Shortly after the arrival of the family here she took her teakettle with her, having no bucket for the purpose, and started up the stream from which she had obtained water before. When she had proceeded a little distance she saw a tiny branch which she followed out to small bank, where she found water rising. Taking her hands she scooped out a little basin, then she stood and watched it fill up and flow over until the water ran clear, then she filled her kettle. This was the first time a white person had taken water from that spring. It remained, however, the source of water supply for the family and some of their descendants, who have always owned the home, and few pass by in hot weather without stopping to get a cool, refreshing draught from this spring. On one occasion when her husband was absent on a nine days' trip to mill Mrs. John Chambers was visited by squaws who came to beg. This was not an unusual circumstance, for they begged nearly everything. At that time, however, they brought a small vessel, which would hold about an ordinary cupful, and asked for cow's butter. Mrs. Chambers was never in the habit of refusing them anything she could possibly spare them, especially if her husband was away. She filled the dish as full as she could and then gave it back. They took it and pressed the butter down with fingers that could scarcely have been dirtier and then handed it back for her to fill again, which she at once did. The warriors, or men of the tribe, never came to the cabin while her husband was away but he would not be home an hour until a number of them would come to him. He was always their friend and they never attempted to molest him or his family in any way.
John Chambers was among the first to take up land in Richland county and he aided in laying broad and deep the foundation upon which its later prosperity and progress has been built. Two children were born unto him and his wife in Washington county, Pennsylvania, and seven were added to the household in Richland county. These were Samuel G., Susan, Margaret, Eliza, Thompson, James H., Emily Ann, Sarah and Eliza Ann. The eldest, Samuel G. Chambers, went to Grand View, Louisa county, Iowa, in 1849,
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locating on a farm there. He was married June 18, 1852, to Rosanna Ronald, and they had five children, Sarah Emily, John Knox, Martha Jose- phine, William Elsworth and Samuel E. They lived near Grand View until 1880 and were then residents of Brown county, Kansas, until 1896. Samuel G. Chambers lived to be ninety years of age. His eldest daughter is the wife of Dr. H. P. Skiles, a prominent and well known physician of Chicago, residing at 963 Monroe street, and they have a family of five children, Vera Gertrude, Clara J., J. Herbert, Frank Chambers and Arthur. John Knox Chambers, the eldest son of Samuel G. Chambers, married Annie Walker and they have one child, Mary C. They reside at the old home in Kansas. Martha Josephine Chambers, the second daughter of Samuel G. Chambers, is the wife of James Casson, and they have four children: Francis, Bertha, Fred and Leila Casson. William Elsworth, the second son of Samuel G. Chambers, married Bessie Moore and lives at Parker City, Utah. They have two children, William and Harriet Chambers. Samuel E. Chambers, the youngest of the family, married Celia Casson, has three children, May, Gertrude and Samuel George Casson, and they live at Parker City, Utah.
Susan Chambers, the second child of John Chambers, who founded the family in Richland county, never married, but lived on or near the old home for over eighty years. The third child, Margaret Chambers, became the wife of Joseph Roe but at her death left no children. Eliza Chambers, the fourth child, became the wife of Hugh Mccullough and had one daughter, Nettie Mccullough. The fifth child, Thompson Chambers, died in infancy. The sixth child, James Harvey Chambers, married Elizabeth Morrow. He purchased the old home from his father, John Chambers, and there made his home throughout his entire life, covering eighty-one years. He was one of the foremost farmers of the county and a lover of good stock. Unto him and his wife were born two sons: Erskine and John Chalmers. The latter married Irene Copeland and they have four children: William C., Harvey, Elizabeth and Ruth. They now live at Lakeside, San Diego county, Cali- fornia, where Mr. Chambers has been engaged in raising fruit since 1897.
Emily Ann Chambers, the seventh child of John Chambers, became the wife of John McCullough, of Mahoning county, and they live on the old Mccullough homestead near Portland. They had one child, Sarah Jeannette, who was liberally educated and became the wife of Joseph Roe MeKnight, a successful attorney of Norwalk, Ohio. Their children are three in number: Edna Ninette, the wife of H. E. Graham, manager of the Oil Belt Telephone Company and a resident of Cygnet, Ohio; John Bronson MeKnight, an attorney located in the mining district at Vernon, Nevada; and Ethelberta of Samuel Caldwell and they had three children: John Caldwell, who married McKnight, who became the wife of A. B. Rundell, a real-estate dealer of Norwalk, Ohio, by whom she has one son, John McKnight Rundell.
Sarah Chambers, the eighth child of John Chambers, became the wife Lessa Stevens and had one son, Oscar Caldwell; Hettie Caldwell, the wife of Jonathan Uhlich, a farmer and superintendent of the Children's Home in Richland county; and Minnie Caldwell, the wife of George Schanes, manager of the electric plant at Cardington, Ohio.
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Eliza Ann Chambers, the ninth member of the family, became the wife of Robert Smith, who died shortly after their marriage.
The old home is now occupied by Erskine Chambers. This land was entered by John Chambers in 1809 and was deeded to him in 1814, while in 1857 it was deeded by him and his wife Sarah to their son, James H. Chambers, who in 1902 deeded it to his son, Erskine Chambers.
Erskine Chambers, the son of James H., married Miss Lizzie Boyce and to them have been born three sons. Harvey Arthur married Nancy Fisher, had one son, Arthur Erskine, and died at the age of twenty-two years. The younger sons, Clarence Boyce and John Erskine, are both at home. The father, Erskine Chambers, purchased the old home farm from his father. He had always lived upon this place, which is dear to him through the memories of boyhood as well as with the associations of mature years. The place is often spoken of as a model farm and indeed it possesses all of the accessories and conveniences of a model property of the twentieth century. The family have named it Idealyld. When Mr. Chambers was nineteen years of age he purchased three registered hogs and since that time he has been continuously engaged in raising registered stock, including hogs, sheep, cattle and horses. His brother John was a partner with him in his stock- raising for years, although they each owned separate animals. When his sons reached the age of nine and ten years Erskine Chambers made them partners in business, believing that an interest in one's occupation should grow as one's years advanced. Today they are young men and the firm is known as Erskine Chambers & Sons of the Idealyld Stock Farm. Many premiums have been awarded to the stock fed, raised or bred on the old farm and indeed it is a well known fact that some of the finest stock produced in Ohio has been here raised. The family occupy the old brick residence, which was built by the grandfather in 1832 and which is yet in an excellent state of repair. The work of improvement and development has been carried on along the most progressive lines of modern agriculture and the name of Chambers has long figured as a prominent one in agricultural circles here. Most of the family have also been most active in support of public measures, contributing to the general welfare, and Erskine Chambers is no exception to this rule.
C. L. LINE.
C. L. Line was born in Wayne county, Ohio, November 17, 1845, his parents being Joseph and Susan (Underwood) Line. The father, who was also a native of Wayne county, learned the cooper's trade in early life and subsequently conducted a large cooper shop in East Union township, Wayne county, Ohio, hauling his barrels to Massillon, Ohio, with ox-teams. In 1849, attracted by the discovery of gold in California, he made his way to that state, and was very successful in his search for the precious metal. When a year had passed he boarded a vessel which was homeward bound, but was taken ill with cholera and died in 1850. His wife, long surviving him, was called to her final
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rest in 1891. Their family numbered five children, namely: L. N., who is living retired in Wells county, Indiana; C. L., of this review; S. S., a retired agriculturist living in Mansfield; Marion, who is a machinist residing at ยท Galion; and Josephine, the wife of D. Leddingham, of Cleveland, Ohio.
C. L. Line acquired his education in Wayne and Crawford counties and early became familiar with the duties and labors that fall to the lot of the agriculturist. He is now engaged in threshing and baling hay and in addition to the work of general farming he also carries on stock-raising, his valuable farm of two hundred and eighty-eight acres being located on section 26, Sandusky township, Richland county. He has won success in his under- takings because of his well directed and unremitting labor, supplemented by excellent business ability and sound judgment.
In 1870 Mr. Line was united in marriage to Miss Flora Alice Hoover, the only daughter of John Hoover. Her grandfather, John Hoover, set free his slaves in Virginia and came to Richland county, Ohio, here purchasing land. He first settled east of Mansfield but later took up his abode in San- dusky township. George Kern, the oldest butcher in Mansfield, bought his first beef, after coming to the United States, from the grandmother of Mrs. Line, the cow having been raised on the farm on which our subject now resides. John Hoover, the grandfather, passed away at the age of fifty-four years. The father of Mrs. Line was but six years of age when he accompanied his parent son their removal from Virginia to Richland county. After attain- ing man's estate he became connected with the Sandusky, Mansfield & Newark Railway, now a part of the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad, which is the second road in the state of Ohio, and was the oldest passenger conductor in this state. About the time when he decided to leave the railroad company's employ they were building new roads in the west and asked him to take the superintendency of a line in that part of the country. Mr. Hoover went only as far as Chicago, however, and then notified the railroad that he would follow his previous intention and go back to live on the farm with his family. Unto C. L. and Flora Alice (Hoover) Line were born four children, as follows: E. Jay, of whom mention is made below; E. C., employed by the railroad as a flagman, who married Miss Gussie Thayer and makes his home in Galion, Ohio; W. G., who married Miss Edna Krohn and is employed as baggageman by the Erie Railroad, also living in Galion; and Florence, the wife, of J. G. Lee, who is telegraph operator for the Erie Railroad at Galion, Ohio.
In his political views C. L. Line is a stanch democrat and has served as township trustee for several years. He is now a member of the board of education, the cause of public instruction finding in him a stalwart champion. Both he and his wife are devoted and faithful members of the United Brethren church at Galion, and are highly esteemed and respected residents of the community in which they dwell.
E. Jay Line was born on the old family homestead May 26, 1871, and supplemented his district-school education by a course of study at Ada, Ohio. For fifteen terms he has now been engaged in teaching school during the winter seasons, imparting clearly and readily to others the knowledge that he has acquired. During the summer months he is associated with his father in
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the conduct of the home farm and is well known throughout the community as an enterprising and successful young citizen, who has gained recognition in educational as well as in agricultural lines.
On the 24th of December, 1899, occurred the marriage of E. Jay Line and Miss Manetta Holtshouse, of Galion, Ohio. They have a bright and interesting little daughter, Mary Alice, whose birth occurred June 1, 1903.
Mr. Line gives his political allegiance to the democracy, while his wife is a member of the United Brethren church. A man of genial nature and pleasant address, he has won the warm esteem and friendship of all with whom he has come in contact and is one of the worthy native sons of this county.
HON. HARRISON MICKEY.
Among the men whose lives have conferred distinction upon the com- munity which has honored them, is numbered Hon. Harrison Mickey, who has stood always as a man firm in his support of his honest convictions and his public service was actuated by a most earnest desire for the public good. He was born December 1, 1819, in Orange township, of what was then Ashland county, Ohio, but is now Richland county. His father, Robert Mickey, came to this county from Pennsylvania and here reared his family of thirteen children, all of whom are now deceased, with the exception of one, Robert, who lives in Illinois. Harrison Mickey was the third in order of birth. He spent his boyhood and youth amid the wild scenes and conditions of frontier life, aided in the arduous task of developing a new farm and as his years and strength increased assisted more and more largely in the work of the fields and garden. In 1834 the family removed to Madison township and there Harrison Mickey helped to clear a new farm, working in this way through the summer months, while in the winter seasons he attended the public schools. At the age of seventeen years, however, he left the farm and was apprenticed to John Swaner, a blacksmith of Mansfield, with whom he continued for about two years or until December 1, 1850. At that date he entered the employ of Minly & Young, of Shelby, and thus he worked as a journeyman for some time. He established a business on his own account, but was obliged to discontinue on account of physical disability.
After the election of Franklin Pierce Mr. Mickey applied for the post- mastership at Shelby and was the second man appointed to that office, the duties of which he assumed on the 1st of June, 1853, serving continuously until the 1st of October, 1860. During the presidential campaign of that year the Breckinridge and Lane committee asked him for a contribution of ten dollars for political purposes, but being a Douglas democrat he wrote a scathing letter which lost him his position. The letter read as follows: "Sirs: In answer to your note of yesterday demanding ten dollars in consideration of my official position as postmaster, to aid in making a political canvass in favor of Breckinridge and Lane, I will say that it can in no way be acceded to by me. Under the present circumstances and the manner in which you make
HARRISON MICKEY.
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the demand, I deem it an insult and an outrage upon every principle of honor, integrity and independence that ought to characterize the conduct and actions of every American citizen, be he high or low, rich or poor, and I cannot do otherwise than treat it as such without a total sacrifice of the rights of con- science and a cowardly submission of every principle of manly independence. I therefore spurn your demand as an offered bribe for the paltry place of a few official crumbs. I wear no official halter around my neck. I learned the principles of democracy from my mother's knee. I have been a democrat all my life and expect to die one. In 1852, to the extent of my humble ability, I did what I could in contributing to the election of Franklin Pierce and sustained the compromised measures of 1850. To carry out the same principles and measures, in 1856, I again did what I could to aid in the election of James Buchanan, to maintain those principles and measures so just to all sections of the country. And now again in 1860, if God spares my life, when a still more dangerous and formidable attack is made upon those time honored principles of the democratic party by fanatical disunion, factionists, both north and south, and an unholy attempt is made to break up and rush out the only national and conservative party,-and to that end I am invited to con- tribute aid. I will do all I am able in my honorable way to sustain and carry out those principles and uphold the nationality of the democratic party in the election of our noble standard bearers, Stephen A. Douglas and Herschel V. Johnston. If I cannot do this and longer hold my official position as post- master of the little village of Shelby, without offending the powers that be, then I no longer desire the position. They may cut off my Douglas head. 'If this be treason then let it come-let it come and may we profit by the example.' "
It was always characteristic of Mr. Mickey that he never faltered in pronouncing his views when the occasion seemed to demand that he do so, nor was his position ever an equivocal one. He was fearless in defense of what he believed to be right and stood loyal in support of his honest convictions. During his term of postmaster he acted as mayor for nine months to fill a vacancy. He was again called to public office when in 1883 he was made the nominee of the democratic party for the position of state senator. He thus represented Richland county during the regular term and proved a capable and efficient working member of the upper house. While he was more or less active in political circles, he was always known as an enterprising business man and was the owner of one hundred and fifteen acres of valuable land, adjoining the corporation limits of Shelby on the south. In the management of this property he displayed keen business discernment and enterprise.
On the 19th of November, 1845, Mr. Mickey was married to Miss Cordelia Smith, who was born in Orange county, New York, September 23, 1823, and was a daughter of Jacob and Elizabeth (Conger) Smith, both natives of the Empire state; the former born in Orange county and the latter in Cayuga county. The Congers were very prominent in that part of New York. One of the name was minister from the United States to a foreign country and Omer Conger represented his district in congress. Mrs. Mickey was eight years of age when her parents removed from New York to Sandusky, Ohio, and she
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resided in Erie county until her marriage. This union was blessed with four sons : Herbert C., who is a farmer of Huron county, Ohio; Danton, at home; Harry P., who is living in Shelby; and Robert, who died in early life. Mr. and Mrs. Mickey celebrated their fiftieth wedding anniversary. For a half a century they have traveled life's journey together, their mutual love and confidence increasing as the years went by. Mrs. Mickey is now the oldest resident of Shelby in years of continuous connection with the village, having lived here uninterruptedly since 1845, while since 1858 she has occupied her present home on Washington street.
The death of Mr. Mickey occurred May 28, 1897, and was an occasion of deep regret. He had reached the age of seventy-seven years and a life of activity and usefulness was ended when he passed away. He always commanded the respect even of his political enemies, while those who met him in social relations entertained for him that warm personal regard which is given in recognition of geniality, kindliness and deference for the opinions of others on the part of any individual. He was connected with the county from early pioneer times until almost the close of the century and his labors were an effective element in the growth and progress of the county.
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